Blue Spot Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey
It was a bit of a disappointment that I did not receive the sample of Blue Spot until after the tasting on the 11th November 2020 hosted by Kevin O’Gorman, Irish Distillers Master Distiller. My sample arrived a few days after the tasting, so it is time for me to review The Blue Spot.
With the most recent existing record of Blue Spot dating back to 1964, the launch will signal the end of a 56-year wait among the global Whiskey community for the reintroduction of Blue Spot, reuniting the historic Spot Family for the first time in over half a century.
Building on the foundation of bourbon and sherry casks, the re-imagined Blue Spot includes Whiskey aged in Madeira casks, inspired by the historical inventory of Mitchell & Son and typical of the Spot style of Whiskey.
The Midleton Masters, in collaboration with the Mitchell family, were influenced by archive documents dating back to 1935 showing Madeira wine casks imported to Ireland which, once emptied, would have been used to mature Whiskey.
Kevin O’Gorman, Master Distiller art Irish Distillers, comments.
“It is with absolute pleasure that we reintroduce Blue Spot and bring a piece of Dublin’s rich Whiskey history back to life. Over the years I have had the honour of collaborating with the Mitchell family, who for generations have celebrated the influence of fine wines on Irish Whiskey, as we have reintroduced expressions to the beloved Spot range. I am incredibly proud to celebrate with Jonathan and Robert Mitchell on this historic day as Blue Spot takes its place alongside Green, Yellow and Red Spot, reuniting the whole family once again.”
Kevin’s team at Irish Distillers’ Midleton Distillery have been sourcing Madeira wine seasoned casks for over 20 years. These casks are carefully handcrafted in a cooperage in the north of Portugal and then sent to the island of Madeira. Once seasoned, the casks are shipped back to Midleton and filled with pot still distillate and left to mature. These Madeira casks, along with ex-Bourbon and ex-sherry casks are then hand selected and married together to achieve the perfect flavour balance. Bottled at cask strength, the result is a luxuriously rich and characterful Whiskey.
This is a non chill filtered, cask strength release that will have an ABV varying annually. Blue spot will be available from this month in Ireland, UK, Canada, Northern Ireland and Global Retail, and in the USA from February 2021.
Let’s see how this dram performs on my nose and palate.
Blue Spot Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey, 7 Years Old, 70 cl
Colour…Aztec gold
Nose…The aromas were very elegant, but one had to listen carefully when in came the tropical fruit, mixed spice, granny Smith apples stewing in the pot,
Taste…Smooth with a palate coating richness, fresh fruit salad is in charge, a puff of mild white pepper, spice from a ginger snap biscuit, banana and vanilla milkshake, eating mango, pineapple and guava off a lightly toasted stave.
Finish…A long finish of fruit and light spices and toasted oak.
Well, well, well this is an outstanding dram and must be in my top three expressions coming out of Midleton Distillery, a triumph from Kevin and all his team.
On sipping away at my dram the only word I could come up with is ‘glorious’.
